The New York Rangers were one of the most active teams ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on March 8. They needed to fill a few holes, and while they didn’t make a big splash, they found the players they needed to round out the lineup. They added Alex Wennberg from the Seattle Kraken, Chad Ruhwedel from the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Jack Roslovic from the Columbus Blue Jackets. A little over a month later, here’s a look at how the players have fit in and whether they still need time to adjust.
Alex Wennberg
Wennberg has been the best fit so far. He was brought in to be the third-line center after Filip Chytil was shut down for the season due to injury. He is known for his defensive game, which has been apparent in his time in New York. He has scored only one goal and five points in 16 games, but he wasn’t brought in to score. He has been one of the team’s six penalty-killers, and he has been exactly what the team was looking for. He has played his role better than Johnny Brodzinski did before Wennberg’s arrival, which then allowed Brodzinski to move down the lineup where he is more effective and gives the Rangers more depth throughout the lineup.
So far, he’s mostly played with Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko, and this line has been great. Their games complement each other, and the line has created problems for the opposition – Wennberg has a great two-way game, Cuylle isn’t afraid to get to the dirty areas and create chaos, and Kakko can be unstoppable when he has the puck on his stick and is a menace on the boards. This line could be the X-Factor in a playoff series, just like the “Kid Line” of Chytil, Kakko, and Alexis Lafreniere was in the 2022 Playoffs.
Chad Ruhwedel
Ruhwedel was brought in as an extra defenseman who could step into the lineup when needed, and he had to play almost immediately after his arrival. The same day he was acquired, the Rangers announced that captain Jacob Trouba would be out for 2-3 weeks with a lower-body injury. While Zac Jones got the first crack at the lineup, Ryan Lindgren was injured a few games later, and Ruhwedel was called upon. He played five games and didn’t record a point, but that wasn’t why he was brought in. He was a solid defensive presence on the third-pairing during those five games.
Related: Rangers’ Last Three Games Should Secure Presidents’ Trophy
He played physical even though he isn’t the biggest player, and he played his role well. Now, with everyone healthy, he is the team’s eighth defenseman. Jones has also been a healthy scratch, and he would likely get into the lineup before Ruhwedel. So, unless two defensemen get hurt in the playoffs or management decides to rest players before the playoffs, he will likely not play another game as a Ranger – he’s a pending unrestricted free agent and likely won’t be back next season. If five games are all he gets in his Rangers career, it was a solid five games, and he was a good, low-cost addition.
Jack Roslovic
When the Rangers knew they weren’t getting Jake Guentzel from the Penguins, they needed to pivot. They didn’t want to pay the price for Frank Vatrano of the Anaheim Ducks, so they found a low-cost option. They decided to trade for Roslovic, and the verdict is still out. In some games, he’s noticeable, and in others, he doesn’t get involved at all. He has been given an opportunity on the top-line right wing with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, and he hasn’t shown anything special.
Roslovic only has two goals and seven points in 16 games and was recently made a healthy scratch because of his struggles. He has brought some speed to the lineup that’s been missing since Blake Wheeler was injured, but he hasn’t brought the offense that some thought he would. While he wasn’t the biggest name, he was still expected to provide more than he has. As the playoffs get closer, we’ll see if Roslovic sticks on the top line or is bumped down the lineup if he still isn’t producing.
The Rangers acquired three players before the deadline to add depth to their lineup and fill holes. So far, it has been a mixed bag. Wennberg has played very well, while Roslovic’s play has left more to be desired. Ruhwedel played well, although it was a small sample size. The Rangers want to win a Stanley Cup this season, and while they will rely on their top players, they also need players like Wennberg and Roslovic to produce. How they play in the playoffs will be the biggest factor in how they will be judged as deadline additions.